I don’t know about you all, but I have a serious love-hate relationship with technology and the advances that are being made. Let’s be clear, I have an iPhone, an Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home. Still, I can’t help but feel a little weird about how acceptable it is to be so lazy…or so uninformed.
Seriously, I haven’t turned the lamp off in my bedroom since Christmas. It’s cool at first but now it’s is a mashup of “lazy AF” and “convenient as hell”. But, it’s more than physical. I often wonder how many brain cells I am NOT using because I can only seam to remember three phone numbers and do simple math. Where does the rest of it go? What about politics, finances, government, literature or manners?
Is it my fault or am I being strategically ushered along the evolving age of information?
The semantic web has made it such that computers are not simply collecting resources for us to find answers – they are giving us the answers. Basically, we’re headed toward a scenario where we don’t have to know or do anything – which, in my opinion, is ultimately problematic because when you really unpack the kind of data collection that must go into this type of engineering, the conclusions are unnerving. The “cookies” and turning on “my location” is providing access to private information that I’m not necessarily comfortable with. Add to that, everything is listening. I was having a conversation with my partner the other day and Siri, out of nowhere, says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t get that.” Does Siri even have the capacity to mind her own business? If so, she can have a seat right next to Alexa and the rest of them.
If it all works out like The Jetson’s, I’m cool. But iRobot? Absolutely not. I’m comfortable with technology helping me to draw my own conclusions but making the decision for me – “I’m good love, enjoy.” – Future
Ev's Piece and Mind 